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When you install Microsoft SQL Server on a cluster as a SQL Server failover cluster instance, a specific set of SQL Server resources that have dependencies on other resources in the cluster group are created.

Important Do not change the default dependency tree except for the changes that are listed in this article or the changes that are listed in the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Limitations and restrictions

You should be aware that if you add any other resources to the SQL Server group, those resources must always have their own unique SQL network name resources and their own SQL IP address resources.Do not use the existing SQL network name resources and SQL IP address resources for anything other than SQL Server. If SQL Server resources are shared with other resources or are set up incorrectly, you may experience the following problems:

Outages that are not expected may occur.

Database corruption may occur.

Service pack installations may not be successful.

The SQL Server Setup program may not be successful. If this occurs, you cannot install additional instances of SQL Server or perform routine maintenance.

SQL Server may not come online.

Disks may not be available for SQL Server use.

Additional considerations

FTP with SQL Server replication: For instances of SQL Server that use FTP with SQL Server replication, your FTP service must use one of the same physical disks that the installation of SQL Server that is set up to use the FTP service uses.

SQL Server resource dependencies: If you add a resource to a SQL Server group, and if you have a dependency on the SQL Server resource to make sure that SQL Server is available, we recommend that you add a dependency on the SQL Server Agent resource instead of adding a dependency on the SQL Server resource. To make sure that the computer that is running SQL Server remains highly available, configure the SQL Server Agent resource so that it does not affect the SQL Server group if the SQL Server Agent resource fails.

File shares and printer resources: An exception is the file share that is used by the SQL Server FILESTREAM feature. A printer resource should not be in your SQL Server group. File Share or Printer resources require their own Network Name and IP resource on a Windows Server 2003 failover cluster. File shares and printer resources also require their own Network Name and IP resource for a Client Access Point on Windows Server 2008 and later versions. For a failover cluster instance on Windows Server 2008 or a later version, use the Create a Shared Folder Wizard to specify a unique name and other settings for the shared folder.

Performance: Decrease in performance and loss of service to the computer that is running SQL Server may occur when the following conditions are true:

A File Share cluster resource that does not use the FILESTREAM feature is installed on the same physical disk resource on which SQL Server is installed.

A Printer cluster resource is installed on the same physical disk resource on which SQL Server is installed.